MARIANNE "Why do you want to marry me?" Troy's voice was low, but the intensity in his gaze cut through the air. I tried to ease the tension with a warm smile, though I could sense the gravity behind his question. "Don't get worked up, Troy. It’s only temporary. Once my revenge is complete, we’ll divorce." His expression darkened, frustration flaring up. “The nerve of you,” he snapped, his voice rougher than I expected. “You come up with a ridiculous arrangement like this without even asking me? Without so much as a conversation? What do you take me for, Marianne?” His anger, though justified, stung. I took a deep breath, keeping my voice calm. "You have every right to be upset. Believe me, I’m shaken too by the absurdity of it all. But Troy... if I had brought it up at home, I would’ve gotten cold feet. I’d convince myself there was another way, but there isn’t." I paused, trying to meet his eyes, but he looked away. "This is a marriage of convenience. No strings, no obligat
MARIANNE I stared at Troy in disbelief, the hint of a smile tugging at my lips despite the absurdity of what he’d just suggested. “Seriously? You want me to make her blind?” He shrugged, his expression nonchalant. “What’s the big deal? It's not as if she doesn't deserve it.” I nodded, considering the truth of his words. “That’s not wrong,” I admitted slowly, “but it's extreme, even for me.” My voice softened as I added, “I’ll come up with something just as sinister—but not that. Thanks for the suggestion.” He huffed, clearly dissatisfied. “What’s the point of asking for advice if you don’t intend to use it?” I gave a small, knowing smile. “It’ll come in handy when the time is right, trust me.” Silence followed. We finished our meal in an almost companionable quiet, though the tension between us hummed like an unspoken conversation. When we were done, I insisted on cleaning up. Troy finally relented, letting me take charge of the mundane task. Once the kitchen was spotles
TROYAfter Aislinn ran off, I found myself surprised by my own actions. "Why did I kiss her so passionately? And why is my heart racing?" In truth, I had no answer. Aislinn had the face of my beloved, but I was clear-headed about that. I had only wanted to tease her, to teach her a lesson for deliberately keeping things from me and throwing unwanted surprises my way. I went after her but stopped at her door. "What's wrong with you?" I muttered to myself. "You need to draw the line between teasing and getting attached." Turning back, I returned to my room to get ready for her dinner meeting. Remembering she had mentioned needing a camera, I left the house briefly to pick one up.On the way back, thoughts of what had happened between us lately filled my mind. Despite myself, I enjoyed being close to Aislinn. Her smile was enchanting, her lips soft, her gaze intense, and her scent... intoxicating.She acted all serious, but there was still a playful side to her—one nearly ruined by t
TROY"Such a good liar," I thought to myself, impressed by how quickly Aislinn adapted to every situation she encountered.The commissioner studied us for a while, disappointment clear on his face. After a few moments of silence, he finally relented. “Fine. Your support system can stay, but I don’t want any unnecessary interruptions.”I was tempted to smile. If he knew who I really was, he’d be more careful with his words. But I had already decided to stay under the radar until Marianne’s revenge was complete.So, I forced a smile. “Thank you, sir.”The man extended his hand toward Marianne, who took it with a firm grip before sitting down. She positioned herself directly across from him, a table separating them, while I sat at a different table. From where I was, I had a clear view of his face and could hear every word they exchanged.“I’m very glad to finally meet you in person,” she said smoothly.He nodded. “That means you know quite a lot about me.”She chuckled, her eyes gleamin
TROYAs soon as we stepped out of the room, the commissioner and his aides were nowhere to be seen.We got into the car, and I began to drive."You couldn't stop smiling at that old man," I said after a few minutes on the road.She sighed. "Don't remind me. I don’t think I’ve smiled that much in my entire life. My cheeks are sore."I smirked. "As long as you were uncomfortable, I feel better. But why all the praise and calling him an honest man? If he was truly honest, he would've turned down the money and helped you uncover the truth.""Couldn't you tell I was buttering him up?" she said, shaking her head. "He’s nothing like I described. I could have met him without my godfather’s help, but it would’ve taken longer, and I’m not that patient. He’s not easily bribed by money, but he has a weakness for young, beautiful women."I scoffed. "So that’s why you acted like we were a couple? No secrets between us, huh? Now I feel used.""You were the one who said I could use you," she reminded
MARIANNE Troy's car pulled up in front of Ray Industries. From across the passenger seat, I gave him a small smile before glancing back. The two police vans that had escorted us stopped behind our car. Twelve armed officers emerged, standing ready and waiting for my command. I smiled in satisfaction. Inspector Astrid, the officer assigned to me by the commissioner, had proven to be highly efficient. I had only spoken with him this morning, explaining what I needed, and he acted swiftly, providing the officers and assuring me he would be available whenever I required. Troy and I walked into the building with our heads held high, the twelve officers trailing behind. Our presence caused an immediate stir. Employees stared at us in silence, their faces pale with unease, while the security guards stood aside, respectful of the armed officers’ authority. I ignored them all. These faces were familiar, but they meant nothing to me now. I had one target: the chairman’s office—the off
MARIANNE I glanced up and was struck by how much Tony had changed. The man standing before me bore little resemblance to the one I had struck with a gun just days ago. His well-trimmed beard gave him a polished look, but I wasn’t fooled. He might deceive the world, but not me. He strode toward the table, arrogance radiating from him. "Marianne was my best friend," he declared smugly. "And I know for a fact she had no sister." I scoffed. "Her best friend? Funny, she never mentioned you to me—not once. If you were so close, why would she keep your existence from me?" I leaned forward, locking eyes with him. "Besides, what gives you the right to challenge my relationship with my sister? Were you involved with her in a way that grants you any legal right to question me?" His expression faltered, and I saw the crack in his composure. He couldn’t bring up the name of Marianne’s husband—after all, Tony was supposed to be dead. "No matter what you say, I don’t believe your lies,"
MARIANNE "What?" Tony charged toward me, his eyes shooting daggers. "How dare you? Who the hell do you think you are?" Before he could reach me, the officers stepped in, restraining him. He was quickly cuffed, his anger powerless against them. I chuckled at the priceless look on his face. "Don’t be too upset, Frank. What other fate would a thief deserve?" Scanning the room, I gauged the reactions of everyone. When my eyes landed on Mildred, I raised my brows in realization. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, her gaze locked on Tony, who was pinned to the ground by the police. Her fists were clenched so tightly I could almost feel the tension from across the room. She would’ve killed the officers holding him down if she had the chance. Of course. Mildred was in love with Tony. Everything suddenly made sense. She must have been having an affair with him while I was still married. No wonder she betrayed me so easily, without a shred of guilt. Did Britney know abou
Freya quickly made a phone call, and as she had promised, Alva was offered a job and asked to report for work the very next day. "I still can’t believe it—I actually got a job! Thank you so much, Freya," Alva said, her face lighting up with excitement. "You’re welcome," Freya replied, smiling. "And the good thing is, this place pays weekly, so you won’t have to wait too long to get your money." "That’s great, but it doesn’t matter much to me," Alva said. "I’m not planning to spend the money—I’ll save every bit of it." When Alva arrived at the supermarket, she was amazed at how luxurious it was. "Freya’s boyfriend must be incredibly wealthy," she thought. "If he can bring her to such a high-end place, he must have more money than I imagined." As she reported for her first day, Alva realized that a different manager was on seat and the latter stared at her with an air of disdain. Alva tried to brush off the unease she felt, smiling politely. She regretted not wearing one o
Freya smiled warmly at Alva and said, "Come on, have you forgotten how you’ve been cooped up at home all this time? Ever since you lost your Granny, you haven’t really been yourself. How could I have introduced you to him then?" Alva nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful. "You’re right. But now, I really want to meet him, okay?" Freya grinned. "Okay. He’s really busy, but I’ll talk to him. Of course, he’ll make time to meet my best friend." As they sat in the cab heading back home, Freya turned to Alva, her face lighting up. "You know, Lance promised to buy me a car soon." Alva’s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That’s amazing!" Freya nodded, clearly excited. "Yeah, he said it could be any day now. I can’t wait!" "You’re so lucky," Alva said, a hint of awe in her voice. Freya beamed. "I feel like all my dreams are finally coming true. Oh, and guess what? Lance also said he wants to send me to college. What do you think? We could go together—he’ll take care of everything
After Pete left her alone in the room, Alva struggled against the ropes binding her hands, twisting and pulling with all her strength. The coarse material bit into her skin, leaving red marks, but she couldn’t free herself. Tears welled up in her eyes, frustration and anger bubbling inside her. The door creaked open, and Pete entered, accompanied by a group of maids. Alva’s heart sank as she watched him approach with an infuriatingly smug expression. He walked over and untied her hands. “Here you go,” he said, gesturing to the maids. “These are the women who will be at your beck and call.” Alva glanced at the group of over twelve maids and rolled her eyes. "As if I need all this fuss," she thought bitterly. “And,” Pete continued, “there are also ten bodyguards assigned to you. They’ll keep an eye on you, so don’t try anything funny. You wouldn’t want to get hurt, would you?” He turned to one of the maids and ordered, “Make sure she eats. She looks too pale—it’s making me lose my
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Alva remained at home, crying harder than she ever had in her entire life. Her Granny had been her entire world—the only person she truly considered family, the only one who had ever shown her unconditional love. Her mother and brother? They couldn’t have cared less about her, and she knew it deep in her soul. While Alva grieved, her best friend Freya was out shopping, spending the money from Jonas’s card. Freya bought everything her heart desired—clothes, furniture, and even a house. Each time Freya spent the money, Jonas received an alert. Every time his phone buzzed, he shook his head, muttering to himself. "I’ll wait and see what she does when the money runs out." Freya purchased a new house for her parents and even bought herself a smaller, beautiful home. Despite her spending spree, Freya made time to check on Alva. She called, visited, and tried to comfort her grieving friend. But Freya never told Alva the truth about the card.
After hiding the card, Freya returned to the room and knocked softly on the door. Alva, who had just finished drying herself and putting on the dress Freya had brought, opened the door. Her eyes were still red and swollen from crying. Freya stepped inside, trying to keep her expression calm. "What happened?" Alva asked, her voice shaky. "Did you return the card?" Freya nodded quickly, forcing a reassuring smile. "Yes, I gave it to the staff at the counter. They said they’ll contact him immediately." "Good," Alva muttered, her fists clenching at her sides. "He can take his dirty money and go to hell." Freya reached out and touched her arm gently. "Come on, let’s get out of here." Just as they turned toward the door, it suddenly burst open, and Diego stormed in, his face twisted with anger. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here," Diego sneered, his eyes narrowing at Alva. "You call me names, act like you’re chaste, and then run straight into another man’s bed. You’re no
Alva reached for Jonas once again, her hands going around his neck as she tried to kiss him. Pushing her hands away, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her toward the bed. "Enough with the act," he said sharply. "I’m not falling for it." When she fell on the bed, Alva rubbed her hands around her body seductively, as she felt the heat course through her body. She could not recognize the man standing in front of her, and at this point, it didn't matter to her. Diego had slipped a potent Aphrodisiac pill into the wine she drank, knowing she would lose control of herself. He had believed she would willingly give herself to him once the drug took effect, but unfortunately for him, he could not go into Jonas' room as he feared that the latter could get upset and destroy him. He had seen Jonas take Alva into his room and shut his door, and at this time, he stood outside Jonas' room, his fists balled as anger and frustration bubbled inside him. Knowing how much wealth and
After drinking from the glass Diego gave her, Alva felt her stomach twist, but she tried to ignore it. She turned to leave, eager to get away from him. But Diego’s voice stopped her. "Hold on. Aren’t you going to stay and listen to me make the call? Sit down and wait. I promised I’d call your mom." Alva shook her head. "It’s okay. I trust you’ll do it." Diego’s eyes darkened. "If you walk out of that door, I’ll change my mind." Her heart sank. She had no choice. With a reluctant nod, she returned to the chair, her hands gripping the edge of the table. Diego, meanwhile, took his sweet time operating his phone, smirking every now and then as if enjoying her discomfort. "Um, anytime now," Alva muttered impatiently. "I need to get back to my Granny at the hospital." Diego pretended to act surprised. "Oh, right, my bad. Let me call your mom now." He dialed the number and put the phone on speaker, glancing at Alva as her head dipped slightly. She blinked hard, feeling dizzier
"Alright, fine! Just leave her here for now. The day isn’t over yet. I’ll get the money before the day ends, I promise!" Alva pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation. The nurse shook her head firmly. "I’m sorry, but we can’t keep her here. We have to move her to the public ward. The bill from last night hasn’t been paid, and today’s charges were due this morning. Once you pay everything and show us the receipt, we’ll bring her back to the private ward." Alva’s heart sank. "How much could it possibly be? Isn’t it just a few dollars?" The nurse gave a bitter laugh. "A few dollars? No, your grandmother owes almost a hundred thousand dollars." Alva froze, her voice rising in disbelief. "That’s impossible! That’s a lie!" The nurse’s expression remained calm, almost pitying. "You can check with the accounts department if you don’t believe me." "But how did the bill get so high? How can it cost that much?" The nurse sighed. "Her surgery was never paid for. Your mom, or wh
EARLIER IN THE DAY After saying goodbye to her friend Freya, Alva returned home. As she walked through the door, she immediately noticed her mom waiting in the living room. Her brother, Spear, was nowhere in sight, but there was someone else sitting on the worn-out couch—a man whose presence made her stomach churn. Alva froze for a moment. She recognized him. His name was Diego, a notorious figure in the city. He was involved in shady businesses and also managed several bars. Just seeing him in her house sent a wave of unease through her. “Mom, what’s going on?” Alva asked cautiously, walking to her mother’s side. Her mom smiled, her expression unsettlingly warm. “Sit down, my dear.” Alva hesitated. That smile wasn’t normal—it was too forced, too sweet. She knew her mom didn’t really like her. Ever since Alva could remember, she had been treated like an outsider. Being adopted only made things worse. The only people who had ever truly loved her were her father and grandmothe